


and Hell followed with her

by BadLiar



Category: Nancy Drew (Video Games)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-09-04
Updated: 2018-09-04
Packaged: 2019-07-06 23:59:16
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 968
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15896775
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/BadLiar/pseuds/BadLiar
Summary: Everything changed on September 17, 1883. One year later, Frances and Meryl Humber have unfinished business.





	and Hell followed with her

i.

“Did you ever wonder what would happen if the Judgment came early, before your time on Earth had depleted?” 

The man shook his head.

“You thought you could do what you wanted to with women, because there was no one here to judge you. Well, now no one is here to judge what I will do to you.”

She shot him in the stomach. He would live his final moments in agony in the scorching desert. A nicer fate than what he had afforded his victims.

The sky stood stark above Frances Humber as she surveyed the damage and thought about her next move. 

ii.

_I can’t do this._

Meryl Humber read over the marshal’s letter. Again and again. It hurt more every time. Told to hunt down his own daughter, the outlaw from Shadow Ranch, the haunt of Yavapai County. 

He sat at his desk in the sheriff’s office, mulling over what to do. The chief deputy glanced over at his sullen form, although Meryl’s generally opposing self deterred the young man from speaking, questioning what was wrong. 

“Chief deputy, go check on Cappy’s for me, will ya?” 

The young man left without a word and Meryl was left to contemplate his future.

iii.

Frances remembered the day when the first year passed. It was a sight she could never forget. Her father had barred her from being there, but she wrestled her way out of the house. 

She saw Dirk hang that day. He had mouthed “I love you” when he saw her in the crowd. 

It was that day she changed. She took up Dirk’s outlaw ways, escaping from the tyranny of her father. She had even taken to punishing men who treated women like dirt - she knew Dirk would appreciate that, if he ever looked down upon her.

iv.

She rode for days with no goal. She had no leads, a rare respite in her busy year. She stopped at an abandoned town on a moonlit night. Why the town had been abandoned, or when it had been, she couldn’t say. The buildings were still in good condition, not unlike those in Dry Creek. She took up shelter in a saloon that reminded her of Cappy’s - unfortunately, this saloon possessed no game machine like there was at Cappy’s.

She was almost settled in for the night when she heard the beating of hooves outside. She quickly extinguished her lantern and grabbed her shotgun, which she had propped up next to her makeshift bed. She snuck through the building and approached the swinging saloon doors, which she peered out of. Due to the moonlight, she could see a rider dismounting a horse, but she could not identify the person, although she could see that he was burley and wasn’t carrying a shotgun or rifle. Out here at night, however, she knew he had to be in possession of some sort of weapon, so long as he was a sane man. 

No one in a ghost town at night is trustworthy, she noted to herself, preparing to have to commit the inevitable.

The rider wandered into building across the street, giving Frances time to exit the saloon. She set aim on the door to the building, waiting for the rider to return.

When the rider approached the exit, she fired.

It was either bad luck for Frances, or good luck for the rider.

She missed.

The rider ducked back into the building. She reloaded.

v

Meryl Humber had his pistol drawn, but he didn’t want to use it.  
He had seen her. Frances.

He had been searching for her for weeks now, mostly to make a show for the marshal. But the marshal had sent him a lead, and he had to follow it. He had hoped not to find her. What was he to do now?

Sat beneath a window, he raised his hands in a show of surrender. Another shot came through the window.

He yelled “Frances!” and stood up, his arms still raised, pistol in his left hand.

No shots came.

He watched as Frances lowered her gun, a look of shock on her face. “Drop the gun!” she shouted, and he obliged.

Cautiously, aware of the risk, Meryl stepped out into the open. He could see the pain on his Frances’ face.

“Frances, darlin’, I’m so sorry for what I’ve done.”

Frances raised her weapon again. “Sorry doesn’t bring Dirk back.”

Meryl stepped closer. “Darlin’, I know. But, please, don’t do this.”

She sighed and lowered her weapon. Her anger boiled at the mere sight of her father, the murderer of her love, but she knew she could never pull the trigger. 

“Father, you know that I used to see the beauty in the world. And now I see the truth. I can be whoever the fuck I want.”

Meryl sighed. “The marshal sent to have you tried for your….crimes.”

“I guess my reputation precedes me,” she mocked, still partially hidden in the shadows caused by the moon.

“Frances, I can-, I can’t do this.” He was dejected. He broke down in the middle of that empty, barren street, surrounded by the forgotten remnants of the town’s residents.

The smirk came off of Frances’ face. “I’ll go elsewhere.”

Meryl looked up.

She repeated, “I’ll go. Don’t think I’m going to stop, but I will leave the county. For you.”

vi. 

She walked back into the saloon, uncocking her gun. She packed up her few belongings quickly. When she exited, her father was still in the streets. She ignored him and wandered over to her pale palomino Browney and mounted up. She rode past her father, not saying a word.

He looked up as she cantered away into the moonlight. 

“May God have mercy on anyone who crosses your path, Frances.”


End file.
